Cooking for Two – Pot Roast in the Slow Cooker

    Chuck roast was on sale last week so I bought one  -- thinking I would cut it in half for two separate meals.

     Meal one involved a pot roast with potatoes and carrots. Barry’s sister seasons her roast with a package of dry soup mix, which is a quick way to add loads of flavor and creates a very fragrant aroma as it cooks. I adapted her recipe to the slow cooker. Amounts are variable depending on whether you are cooking for two or ten.

     As I remember Lorraine (Barry’s sister) omitted the dredging and browning of the roast and just stuck it in the oven with water and the soup mix. And, I used to do the same when I had less time to spend in the kitchen. However, now I have the time so added the dredging step as it imparts even more flavor. Besides, the flour on the meat (and the extra I mixed in with the water) creates it’s own gravy as your meal cooks.

Pot Roast

I cut the roast in half for us; one piece
went into the slow cooker, the other was
cut up for stew meat.

Chuck Roast

All-purpose flour seasoned with salt, pepper and paprika

Oil (we prefer olive)

1 oz. pkg. of onion soup mix (I used about ¾ of a pkg. for a small roast so increase according for the size of your roast and your taste buds)

Optional seasonings: bay leaf, rosemary sprigs

Water (I used about 1½ - 2 cups for a small roast)

Potatoes, peeled and quartered

Carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

Additional salt and pepper if needed

1.     Dredge (coat) roast in seasoned flour.

2.     Drizzle oil in skillet and heat until hot (medium to medium-high temperature). Add the dredged meat and sear on both sides.

3.     Meanwhile, add a few tablespoons of remaining flour (that was used for dredging) and the soup mix to slow cooker; gradually whisk in water (to avoid lumping). Add additional seasonings of your choice, if desired.

4.     Add seared and browned meat. Set slow cooker on high and cook for a few hours; then add veggies about mid-afternoon; add additional salt and pepper if needed – I turned the slow cooker to the automatic setting at this point. (During my teaching days, I added the meat and veggies to the slow cooker in the morning – set on low.) Add additional water or even broth if needed.

Despite cooking just a small roast, we ended up with leftovers. Hot roast beef sandwiches are good, but we opted for Beef Hash w/ Poached Eggs. Barry simply cut up the remaining roast, potatoes and carrots and sautéed them in a skillet with a little olive oil. He threw in a little frozen corn (peas are good, too) and the leftover gravy and then added a poached egg and some chopped parsley for a delicious supper dish (also great for breakfast) . . . and a wonderful way to recycle last night’s meal.

Even though this half of the roast made two meals, we still have the other half to use. I have a recipe in mind so check back later for Beef Stew over Polenta.

10 THINGS TO DO WITH FALL COOKIE CUTTERS . . . besides made cookies

So many cookie cutters, so little motivation to make fall sugar cookies! So, here's what I'm doing instead . . . 

1.     Cut out Jigglers – leaf shaped gelatin shapes

To make your own Cranberry Jigglers: Pour 1 cup cold cranberry juice in a bowl and add 4 (1/4 oz.) envelopes of plain gelatin (such 

as Knox®) and leave for a minute. Bring 3 cups of juice to boil in a pan and pour over the other juice and gelatin in the bowl.  Use a whisk to stir briskly until all the gelatin is dissolved. Spray a 9”x13” pan with cooking spray; pour gelatin mixture in pan. Refrigerate for 

a few hours until completely set. Use cookie cutters to cut gelatin.
For additional tips on gelatin preparation, check out gelatin tips on our blog.

2.     Make cinnamon toast.

3.     Use them to cut tea sandwiches.

4.     Top salads or soups with mini leaf-shaped croutons.

5.     Make pie crust cut-outs.

6.     Hang them in your kitchen.

Cookie cutters are tied to the metal framework on our portable kitchen worktable.

7.     Throw them in a bowl with a pumpkin and a squash.

Copper cutters and fall produce nestled in one of Barry's pottery bowls.

8.     Create food labels to identify foods on a buffet or appetizer table.

What's on the menu? Leaf-shaped
name tags identify each dish.

9.     Add a ribbon and give as a party favor.

10.  Stick a napkin though them for an instant napkin rings.

Copper cookie cutters serve as a napkin ring in this fall place setting
featuring original pottery plates (made by Barry) and goblets made by Richard Ernst.
Leaf-shaped cookie cutter favors are also included.

His Chili - Barry’s version!

     Barry adds more liquid to his chili (than I do) giving it more of a thickened soup-like consistency. And, he even wrote down the ingredients (well, kind of ) as he prepared this batch.

     Hit the spot on a chilly fall evening and the freshly grated cheese and chopped onions were a nice addition.

    

Barry’s Chili

1 onion, diced

Olive oil

1teaspoon minced garlic

¾ to 1 lb. lean ground beef

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 ½ teaspoons chili powder

1 tablespoon chili-cumin-garlic blend (or use additional amounts of the separate seasonings)

2 cups beef stock

¼ cup white wine or use additional beef stock or even water

2 (15.5 oz.) cans chili beans

1 (15.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes

1.     In a stock pot, sauté onion in a little olive oil until tender; add mince garlic and then ground beef. Cook on medium heat until beef loses pink color.

2.     Sprinkle in flour and seasonings and thoroughly blend.

3.     Stir in beef stock and wine.

4.     Add beans and tomatoes and let mixture simmer on low heat for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check flavor and add additional seasoning to suit your taste.

He served his chili with grated cheese, chopped onions and seasoned crackers.

Related chili recipes:

Her Chili

Seasoned Crackers

Cranberry Date Bars

     Judy McMullen passed this recipe onto me after baking them for a family reunion in the summer of 2002.  She added nuts and  has also used lemon juice instead of the orange juice.

     Colorful and tangy, these easy bars can be mixed, baked, and out of the oven in about 45 minutes. The filling simmers while you assemble and prebake the crust. Originally from Better Homes & Gardens Christmas Cookies, 1989. 

     Note: Since I really do like to drizle the glaze over the top vs. drenching it, I cup the glaze ingredients in half.

Freezing Cranberries -- While fresh cranberries are in season, buy a couple of extra bags, insert in a freezer bag and throw in your freezer so you can enjoy cranberry recipes all year long.

Fall 2014 update -- Check  out my story about this recipe on MyAbileneKansas webpage -- Campaign for Cranberries.

Cranberry Date Bars     Makes 32 bars or 16 to 18 larger desserts

Filling

1 (12 oz.) pkg. cranberries

1  (8 oz.) pkg. chopped pitted dates

2 tablespoons water

Use a pair of kitchen scissors to easily
cut the dates. Dip scissors in a glass
of water water if they become sticky.

Base

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal (quick-cooking works, too)

1½  cup packed brown sugar

3/4  cup chopped pecans or walnuts

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted  

Glaze

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

2 to 3 tablespoons orange or lemon juice

Water

1.     Preheat oven to 350°.

2.     For filling, in  a medium saucepan combine cranberries and dates.and water. 

Cranberries & dates are ready to be cooked.

      Cook, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes or till cranberries pop, stirring frequently. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Set aside.

This is what the mixture looks like once it has cooked down.

3.     For base: In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, nuts, baking soda and salt. Stir in butter until well blended. Pat half of the oat mixture on the bottom of a 13”x9”x2” baking pan (Line with parchment paper or foil and then spray).  Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes. 

Leaving "wings" on the edges of the parchment paper allows for easy removal of the bars.
Check out our  Baking Tip that provides step-by-step directions.

      Carefully spread filling over baked oat mixture. 

Spread a thin layer of filling over the base.

      Sprinkle remaining oat mixture atop. Pat gently. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes more or till golden. 

      Cool on a wire rack.

4.     For glaze, in a medium mixing bowl stir together powdered sugar, vanilla, and orange juice and enough water to make of drizzling consistency. 

Glaze should be thin enough to drip from the edge of a spatula.

      Drizzle over cooled mixture in pan. Cut into bars.

I cut the bars into larger squares, topped them with whipped cream
and served them for a club meeting.

Mixing It Up – Garlic Mashed Potatoes w/ Corn

     We had these incredible mashed potatoes at a covered dish dinner over the weekend. Although I like to mix corn with mashed potatoes, I’d never thought about combining the two into one dish – very good! And, the garlic adds another flavor component.

     Jean Mohler, who provided this recipe for the covered dish, said she assembled the potatoes early in the afternoon and set them in the fridge; then put them in the oven to thoroughly heat for the evening meal. She also commented, “The garlic seemed very strong initially, but it mellowed as the potatoes were in the refrigerator.”

     Jean provided the link to the recipe and that’s when I discovered the recipe came from Stephan Pyles (appeared in the July 2000 issue of Bon Appétit). We’ve been fans of Chef Stephan since we ate in one of his Dallas restaurants. His The New Texas Cuisine cookbook is full of interesting recipes.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Corn

1½ tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 cup fresh corn kernels (Jean used frozen)

3 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads

1 3/4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1” pieces

Salt & pepper to taste

1.     Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add corn and garlic; sauté until onion is golden and corn is tender, about 5 minutes longer. Add cream, butter and saffron. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 20 minutes.

2.     Meanwhile, cook potatoes in large pot of boiling slated water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well.

3.     Transfer to large bowl. Mash until smooth. Stir in corn mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Cinnamon-Craisin English Muffin Bread

     These easy-to-make yeast-based loaves boast the same texture as English muffins; their flavor is reminiscent of cinnamon rolls but without the fat and excess sugar. You could leave out the craisins and walnuts, but we love the added flavor and texture. Slice it thin and toast for breakfast. A loaf also makes a nice gift.

Cinnamon-Craisin English Muffin Bread     Makes 2 (9” x 5”) loaves

½ cup water

2 cups milk

5 cups all-purpose flour, divided (could use part white whole wheat for a nutrition boost)

2 tablespoons active dry yeast

¼ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup craisins or substitute raisins

¾ to 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, optional

1.     Spray or grease 2 (9” x 5”) loaf pans, and sprinkle with cornmeal. Set aside. 

2.     Combine water and milk in a saucepan (or in a microwave safe bowl); heat until just hot (120 to 130°). 

3.     Combine 3 cups flour, yeast, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.  Gradually add liquid mixture to flour mixture, beating at high speed with an electric mixer. Beat 2 more minutes at medium speed. Stir in craisins and walnuts.  Gradually stir in remaining 2 cups flour to make a soft dough.

4.     Spoon dough into prepared loaf pans (use your fingers to push the dough into the shape of the pan). Sprinkle top with cornmeal. 

Before rising . . .

5.     Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. 

After rising; ready to go into the oven.

6.     Preheat oven to 400°. Bake bread for 25 minutes. 

7.     Remove bread from pans immediately; cook on wire rack.

Avocado Salsa Salad

It’s almost too simple to post! Actually it’s not even a recipe but Barry’s brainstorm! He simply cut an avocado in half (the long way), removed the seed but left the skin intact. Salsa was added to the seed cavity and it’s ready to serve (use a spoon to scoop it out). Great with sandwiches, a Mexican entrée, or just about anything, including scrambled eggs.

Avocado Salsa Salad paired with a Meatloaf Sandwich.      

If you are unfamiliar with how to cut an avocado, check out this You Tube video – Cutting an Avocad